Elevated tool holder

ABSTRACT

An elevated tool holder system includes a storage block that is raised from the surface on which it is placed and has a storage area underneath the storage block to accommodate the storage of other items. The elevated tool holder can be placed inside a drawer to enable the drawer to be used for safe storage of tools as well as storage of other items.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/586,570 filed on Jan. 13, 2012 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of tool organization systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an elevated block for storing a plurality of elongated tools with an additional storage area under the block.

BACKGROUND

Tool holders of various shapes and sizes are well known in the art. Typically, tools include a working end and a handle that can be gripped by a hand. Tool holders protect the working end of the tool, while leaving the handle exposed so that the tool can be easily removed from the holder. One exemplary example of a tool is a kitchen knife. Kitchen knives are often stored in knife blocks that rest on a countertop or in knife holders that rest on the bottom of a drawer. Such knives, are specialized pieces of equipment that are both dangerous and delicate. Chef's knives in particular are incredibly sharp, but have edges that must be protected to maintain their sharpness. Knife blocks provide such protection and also protect the cook's hands by covering the blade when not in use.

Commonly, knife blocks are placed on a countertop, thereby occupying valuable countertop space and may be considered unsightly. Similarly, drawer space in a kitchen is often limited and knife holders that rest on the bottom of a drawer often use all of the available space in a drawer. However, although the space on the bottom of the drawer is limited, there is often space above the items placed in the drawer that is unutilized.

Additional available alternatives for knife storage include a holder attached to a wall, such as a magnetic holder, which requires wall space for the holder and presents a potential hazard for children and anyone who accidentally bumps the knives. Lastly, knives may simply be stored in a drawer with other kitchen utensils without any block to hold the knives, which provides no protection to keep the blades sharp and presents a potential hazard to the individual searching for the appropriate utensil.

In addition to knives, other elongated tools are commonly stored in an organized fashion in racks or blocks similar to knife blocks. For example, screwdrivers are often stored in order of head shape and size. Tool storage for screwdrivers and other elongated tools suffer the same shortfalls of the knife storage systems described above.

As such, there is a need for an elevated tool holder that can be placed in a drawer and that utilizes available space in a drawer to allow additional tools or utensils to be stored beneath the tool holder.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to an elevated tool holder including at least one block and a plurality of legs to elevate the at least one block from a surface. The elevated tool holder can be adjustable in width and height to accommodate drawers of different sizes. To adjust the width of the tool holder, additional blocks may be added between the legs, thereby widening the tool holder. One embodiment includes adjustable feet that screw into the legs allowing adjustment of the height of the block. In alternative embodiments, adjustment portions are attached to the legs, which also allow adjustment of the height of the block.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions of the disclosed embodiment, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an elevated tool holder in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the elevated tool holder of FIG. 1 showing tools inserted into the elevated tool holder.

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the elevated tool holder of FIG. 1 showing the underside of the elevated tool holder.

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the elevated tool holder of FIG. 1 showing the elevated tool holder in a drawer.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an elevated tool holder in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the elevated tool holder of FIG. 5 showing the adjustment portions in a retracted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3 show one embodiment of an elevated tool holder 100 in accordance with the invention. The elevated tool holder 100 includes at least one block 102 that has a top 104, sides 106, and a bottom 108. A plurality of slots 110 are formed into the block 102, and at least two legs 112 are attached to the sides 106 or bottom 108. The legs 112 allow the block 102 to be raised from a surface, thereby providing a storage area 122 beneath the block for other items to be stored. In the embodiment shown, the legs 112 are two flat panels attached to the sides 106 of the block 102. Alternatively, the legs 112 may be attached to the bottom 108 of the block 102 to allow for a wider block 102 overall. The height of the legs 112 can vary to accommodate various desires for the storage area 122 and various desires for height, including, without limitation, to fit various drawer heights. Adjustable feet 113 are attached to the bottoms of the legs 112 to allow precise adjustment of the elevated tool holder 100 so that it is stable even on slightly uneven surfaces. In an alternative embodiment, the adjustable feet 113 may screw directly into the block 102, thereby taking the place of the legs 112.

The plurality of slots 110 vary in size and are spaced apart to accommodate multiple tool types and sizes. The slots 110 can be made to accommodate a multitude of tool combinations or customized to fit a particular tool collection. In the embodiment shown, the slots 110 are closed on all but one side. Alternatively, the slots 110 may be open on two sides such that a tool may be placed in the slot from above. A user inserts a tool 114 (see FIG. 2) into the appropriate slot such that the tool handle remains outside the block 102 for easy retrieval. Of course, alternative shapes of the slots 110 may be used without departing from the invention.

In the embodiment shown, the blocks 102 are made of wood, but they may be made of any suitable material without departing from the invention. Additionally, the depth, width and height of the elevated tool holder 100 can vary to accommodate various desires for size, including, without limitation, to fit various drawer sizes. The width of the elevated tool holder 100 can also be adjustable by adding or removing blocks 102 thereby allowing for the storage of more tools and accommodate various desires for size, including, without limitation, to fit various drawer sizes. In the embodiment shown, two blocks 102 are attached to each other. The blocks 102 are fastened together by brackets 116 and screws 118. Of course, the blocks may be attached to each other by any suitable means without departing from the invention.

A tool holder drawer (not shown) could be made to slide into the storage area 122 underneath the block 102 to increase the attractiveness and organizational options of the storage area. Alternatively, the storage area may accommodate additional blocks 102 thereby providing space for additional organized tool storage. To further increase the storage area 122 in the invention, the larger slots 110 in the block 102 can be formed in an orientation that is parallel to the support surface 200.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the elevated tool holder 100 is shown inside a drawer 200. As shown, the elevated tool holder 100 rests on the bottom surface of the drawer 200 and the legs 112 are adjusted so that the top of the elevated tool holder 100 is proximate to the top of the drawer 200. This configuration maximizes the storage are 122, allowing other objects to be stored beneath the elevated tool holder 100. Alternatively, the elevated tool holder 100 can be placed on a variety of support surfaces, such as a work bench or kitchen countertop, and it can be placed inside storage cabinets, drawers or closets. In an alternative embodiment, the block 102 may also be adapted to automatically be raised at an angle when the drawer 300 is opened, making both the tools 114 and the storage area 122 more accessible.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-6, another embodiment of the elevated tool holder 150 is shown. In this embodiment each of the legs 152 include an adjustment portion 154, which includes a plurality of slots 156. The adjustment portions 154 are adjustably attached to the legs 152 by screws 158 that a user may loosen to adjust the position of the adjustment portions and tighten to lock the adjustment portions in place. Of course, any suitable fastener may be used to attach the adjustment portions 154 to the legs 152.

It is advantageous to adjust the height of the block 102 from the support surface because both the size of the block and the size of the drawer 200 can vary. Adjusting the height of the block allows a user to maximize the storage area 122 by taking advantage of the available width and height of the drawer 200. A thin material such as rubber, cork or felt can be placed under, or attached to the bottom of the legs 152 to prevent the elevated tool holder 100 from sliding, such as when the drawer 200 is opened or closed.

Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An elevated tool holder comprising: at least one block having a top, a bottom, and two sides, the at least one block including at least one slot for holding a tool; and a plurality of legs attached to the block that elevate the block from a support surface to provide a storage area below the block and above the support surface.
 2. The elevated tool holder of claim 1 wherein a plurality of blocks may be attached to each other to increase the width of the elevated tool holder.
 3. The elevated tool holder of claim 2 wherein the blocks are attached to each other by at least one bracket and a plurality of screws.
 4. The elevated tool holder of claim 2 wherein the blocks are attached to each other by a plurality of magnetic pins and corresponding magnets inserted into the block.
 5. The elevated tool holder of claim 2 wherein the blocks are attached to each other by adhesive.
 6. The elevated tool holder of claim 1 wherein the plurality of legs is adjustable to allow variation in the height of elevation of the at least one block. 